1. Continue the routine of sleeping at work so that you can easily stay up all night to make sehri. (No way you gonna wake up otherwise).

2. Share the number of parathas that you wolf down daily. (It’s always a competition!)

3. Irony has a new definition: spending all your time thinking about food, jumping from one craving to another, in the month of abstinence. (Mmm…pakoray…)

4. Chances are that, cartoon-esque, everything is food for you. Go with it! (There is no such thing as bad publicity, right? *takes a sip of her Pepsi*)

5. Distract yourself and embrace the jingles within your head. Unless you can carve out your brain and stab it to death, which is in itself a distraction. (Kynke Panther ka pahiya he tu best hai bhaiya!)

6. You can also listen to your friends’ jabbering, thanks to special Ramadan calling rates in order to pass the day, and thenstab your brain to death.

7. Golden Rule #3.14: The way to everyone’s heart is through their stomach. (In reference to culinary skills, not cutlery skills!)

8. Anything and everything can be – and will be – done in the name of Ramadan transmissions and ratings. (Warning: giveaways may include small children and an endless source of content to Tweet about)

9. Avoid that by going out for Iftar buffets, checking out all the deals and eating like kal ho na ho. (Special Tip: for digestion, share each and every detail of your iftar on Pakistan Food Forum on your return).

10. You can also relieve all kinds of tension by visiting Servis and getting yourself some shoes. Good shoes are the key to happiness. (As well as a weapon to employ against those who disagree with you).

The time for review and reflection. The time to look back, at all the good and the bad, and “resolve” to do better…

For me, only in retrospect though, 2012 was a good year; better than 2011 in many ways.

I am still naive in many regards. I still let my hot head rule my words. I still wear my heart on my sleeve. I still worry too much and over-think everything.

Despite everything, I feel I have grown. Both up and out of my shell. A bit.

2012 was the year in which I managed to perform a very essential duty due a Muslim. I rarely blog about religion – thoughts, beliefs, opinions, practices, etc – but it was both a time with family and with God that I cherish. This was one experience that I won’t ever forget in my entire life, and I pray to God that there isn’t a point in my remaining life that this happens. Though it wasn’t easy, if I could go back, I would do it all over again.

The year also marked important career decisions. I once again tasted the thrill – and hardships! – of job search and the application & interview process. Now, I’ve finally settled down at (my current) work, quitting one internship and an earlier job in the course of the last twelve months. Having gotten the hang of operations, there are many moments where I really enjoy my “hidden” power and influence. Overall, I am just really thankful that all these opportunities did come my way.

In this regard, there are also lots of new people who have come my way. Some really nice ones. And some old ones have secured an even more permanent position in my (scarred) heart. Their presence through the best and lowest of times, their patience through my blubbering, and their ability to give me perspective is highly appreciated.

A shout-out to finally acquiring a smart phone (though still not smart enough to use it, it turns out) and applications like Whatsapp & Viber.

There was only a normal amount of reading and a minimal amount of writing, except here on the blog. Maybe 2013 would be the lucky year?

I did find some new favorite bands and musicians though: Mumford & Sons, Florence & the Machine and Of Monsters & Men. And it is just a coincidence that all of these have words starting with ‘M’. Promise!

At the same time, 2012 was also the year when I had my first major accident, after having a driving career of seven years. Mostly, my own fault. It was scary and I learned how fear makes a person scream. Yet, I was once again very ‘lucky’ since I wasn’t hurt and only the car was damaged. And that I didn’t have any passengers. Phew!